The present invention relates to manually operated oil sampling equipment for retrieval of oil samples from industrial machinery. More particularly, the present invention relates to dual function oil sampling equipment able to retrieve and store oil samples from either a pressurized oil source or a non-pressurized oil source.
Large industrial vehicles are commonly used in the transportation, construction, or mining industries. Such vehicles require large amounts of lubricating oils to reduce friction of moving engine parts and maintain seals. Periodic replacement of the lubricating oil is necessary because the lubricating oil carbonizes (oil breakdown), changing its viscosity and other lubrication properties. In addition, periodic lubricating oil changes are desirable because the lubricating oil may become contaminated with foreign particles such as metal shavings from engine parts, greatly increasing engine wear.
However, given the high cost of lubricating oil, the difficulties in disposal of waste oil, and the substantial maintenance time required for lubricating oil changes, it is highly desirable to maximize the time between lubricating oil changes. Simply setting periodic times for lubricating oil changes may permit unnecessary engine wear if the lubricating oil is contaminated before a scheduled oil change, or waste time and money if the oil is still usable at the time of the scheduled oil change. One method for ensuring that lubricating oil in industrial machinery is only replaced when necessary involves a program of lubricating oil sample retrieval. (See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,548,088 which describes an oil sampling system). An oil sample is periodically taken, analyzed, and based on that analysis a complete lubricating oil change may be ordered. With this program, oil is only replaced when required, not when determined by an inflexible schedule.
In accordance with the present invention, an oil sampling apparatus suitable for periodic retrieval of lubricating oil samples is provided. The oil sampling apparatus of the present invention is designed to accommodate withdrawal of an oil sample from a pressurized oil source (for example, an idling internal combustion engine) or can alternatively be used to manually pump an oil sample from an unpressurized oil source. The apparatus includes a body having an upper and a lower side, the body being configured to define a conduit therethrough extending between the upper and lower sides. Both a vacuum passageway and a pressurized oil passageway are defined to extend through the body in fluid communication with the conduit. The body further defines a rigid tube having a tube interior connectable between a source of pressurized oil and the pressurized oil passageway.
A sample bottle, typically disposable, for accepting, holding, and storing an oil sample is positionable adjacent to the lower side of the body in fluid tight communication with the conduit. A manually operated vacuum pump is attached in fluid communication to the vacuum passageway, and a needle is positioned in the tube interior. The needle is configured to trigger release of pressurized oil from the source of pressurized oil when pushed into mating configuration with the source of pressurized oil.
A flexible tube is also provided for attachment to a non-pressurized source of oil. The flexible tube is insertible through the upper side of the body into the conduit for conveying oil between a non-pressurized oil source and the conduit, and a coupling system is attached to the upper side of the body to connect the flexible tube in fluid tight connection with the conduit. To prevent intake of atmospheric air into the conduit during operation of the manually operated vacuum pump, a removable seal for removably sealing the tube interior is provided. When the oil sampling apparatus is used for withdrawing non-pressurized oil samples, the tube and tube interior is closed off. This promotes the ability of an operator to draw a vacuum in the conduit, and consequently eases the task of drawing thick and viscous oil from a non-pressurized oil source through the flexible tubing and conduit, for storage in the sample bottle.
In an alternative embodiment, an oil sampling apparatus for taking an oil sample from either a pressurized or non-pressurized oil source and storing the oil sample in a removably attached sample bottle includes a body formed to define a conduit therethrough. The body further defines a vacuum passageway therethrough in fluid communication with the conduit and a pressurized oil passageway is defined to extend through the body in fluid communication with the conduit.
A mechanism for attaching a sample bottle to the body in fluid communication with the conduit is provided. A manually operated vacuum pump is attached in fluid communication to the vacuum passageway and a triggering release mechanism is provided for release of pressurized oil from a pressurized oil source when the triggering mechanism is in fluid communication with the pressurized oil passageway and a source of pressurized oil.
In addition to releasing pressurized oil, the apparatus of the present invention can recover non-pressurized oil. A mechanism for conveying oil between a non-pressurized oil source and the conduit is provided, along with a mechanism for coupling the conveying mechanism in fluid tight connection with the conduit. In operation, the pressurized oil passageway is sealed to promote drawing a vacuum in the conduit when oil is drawn by action of the manually operated vacuum pump from a non-pressurized oil source through the conveying mechanism into the conduit.
Typically, the triggering mechanism includes a rigid tube integrally defined to project from the body, the rigid tube having a tube interior connectable between a source of pressurized oil and the pressurized oil passageway. A needle is positioned in the tube interior, the needle being configured to trigger release of pressurized oil from the source of pressurized oil when connected to the source of pressurized oil. The needle may be formed to define a needle hole therethrough, the needle hole being connected in fluid communication with the pressurized oil passageway to allow passage of pressurized oil from the tube interior, through the needle hole, and into the pressurized oil passageway.
In a most preferred embodiment, the conveying mechanism includes a flexible tube having a proximal end positioned to extend into the conduit and a distal end positionable in fluid communication with a non-pressurized oil source. In this embodiment, the coupling mechanism may be include a stem attached to the body in fluid communication with the conduit, the stem extending outward from the body and allowing insertion therethrough of the flexible tube. A compression nut having a passageway therethrough to allow insertion therethrough of the flexible tube is also provided, with attachment of the compression nut to the stem compressing a compressible elastic washer positioned therebetween to hold the flexible tube in sealing engagment with the stem.
The present invention may be best understood by consideration of the following preferred embodiments and drawings, which present the best mode of practicing the invention as presently perceived.